Irecks
Irecks are the second Demonic template to ever be made, wildly diverging from their predecesor Imps. They are massive, towering over Kalamar himself, acting as a giant wall of brute force, destructive tenacity, and sheer overwhelming power for other Demons to push behind. Though they are relatively few in number they can be sporadically created during times of strife, and make up for their small numbers in how much ass they can relatively kick in a single bout of combat. Physiology of an Ireck "And so, like a forest fire they swept over the masses. Culling those who stood before Kalamars chosen, and imposing their will with bodies of flame and steel." ''-Sermon recounting the first encounter with Irecks against Variations'' To diverge is to be Demonic, and that statement applies no differently then when looking at the Irecks. Some are wreathed in great and intense flames, others ooze magma, and some have skin like granite and bedrock. Others have multiple arms for wielding weapons, others have whole weapons integrated into their bodies, and some even lack appendanges in favor of weapons in there place.Others are massive comparitively, some are thinner and faster, and some few even propel themselves through baleful fire or sheer determination (And a slight case of shoving the laws of reality into a closet and throwing a stick of dynamite in with it) in order to soar through the air. Yet all Irecks are not of flesh and bone, that is to say, Irecks are constructs. Strange to say, considering that they are classified as a species and are incredibly varied in shape. But they are demonic constructs nonetheless. Irecks are forged in one of a plethora of ways, but can in essence be boiled down to 2 paths. The first of which is the direct creation from a Spawning Pool, no logic or reason, just bubbling goop and then the very begginings of an Ireck surfacing from it. This is normally a rare occasion, oftentimes heralded with superstition or bids for power to claim whatever Spawning Pool birthed a hardy Ireck. Yet during times of stress or war Spawning Pools will retroactively act in self defence and gurgle out more of them (Aswell as more Demons). The second method of which is the far more common method, and that is construction. Irecks are generally worked upon by several Imps (Or a single skilled artisan) all wielding their molten bending in a loose ritual. Simply slapping together molten sludge and fire is not sufficient to create an Ireck (Albeit certain exceptions due exist, and stories of haphazard failed experiments permeate discussions of Irecks) a chassis is required. This chassis is what creates the varied existence of Irecks, as they are formed from whatever corpses may be lying around at the moment (Most often Demonic corpses, but if the project leader has a certain deranged goal in mind he can attempt to scavenge more specific pieces). A chassis is always bound for mutation, no matter how hard one may try to keep the original shape intact (For whatever reason), as is the nature of the baleful fires that Demons and Kalamar wield. They corrupt what they infest, what once was a bunnies skull contorts into a ferocious predators head with long fangs and spikes or bumps lining most of it, and filling the chassis with a creepy almost hateful demeanour. Which is, in and of itself, an underlying truth as the last step in the creation of Irecks is infusing it with the spark of life. This last step has the highest chance of failure, and is what bridges Irecks and Demons to be far more related. To do so, the Demons involved in the creation take a bit of their own minds and (Small, twisted) souls, pouring it into the husk that they have created. Sometimes this results in the beast writhing in pain, spasming as it lashes about in its death throes, other times it is too little and it merely creates an empty shell with no drive, and then it hits it just right and creates a screaming edifice of destruction and fury. Sociology of an Ireck "Come now lets be reasonable here, my friend here really wants to meet you, and I don't kno''w ''just how long I can hold him in check. He's very affectionate." ''-Nerv'a Demon extortionist'' Irecks lack a real location in the social heirarchy that is the constantly mutating norm for Demons. Their nature as constructs limits what exactly they need (Or really care for) and thus are not as reliant on other Demons. Instead they are viewed as beasts of labor, put in situations where their immense strength can be best utilised with as little harm done to the commanding Demon as possible. Another popular position for Irecks is that of a Bodyguard or Thug, their limited intelligence making them easily trained in the manners of protection and understanding orders such as "Attack" "Back" and "Stay". They lack any morale to speak of, can rarely communicate by themselves, and are not easily burdened. As of such Irecks are often put into closets or other containerrs with limited space. Their small population makes Irecks a well sought after prize by ,many a budding Demonic warlord, their massive forms acting as the perfect shock troopers, and if properly trained can even become a Praetorian guard for the more risky of Warlords. Many battles and skirmishes are fought over clusters of Irecks, with each side attempting to gain control of the relatively mindless beasts, and then unleashing them on the enemy so as to gain more of them. These battles are for good reason, as they are a spectacular sight in war. Many an onlooker has described them as a force of nature, a living wall of raw destructive power that smashes aside anything in their way and leaves naught but scorched earth. "Give me a hundred imps, and i'll conquer a tribe. Give me a hundred Irecks, and i'll conquer the country." Is an often repeated saying for that very same reason. Due to their beast of labor position and creation method Irecks have a special bond with their Imp brethren. Imps are well adjusted to dealing with the hulking brutes, able to tame them in a far easier manner then any other template or Demon. The sight of Imps riding the back of Irecks is common in military and riots, often times whole squads of these "Brute Riders" are known to ambush unsuspecting prey, and knock over walls to defeat their enemies immedieately with a concoction of shock, awe, and purely brutal terror. This is the most likely way for an Imp/Ireck to gain fame, as they are seen in high regard by their Demonic brethren in how they so easily sow destruction and chaos. Tall tales of mighty Irecks or particularly cunning Imps fill Demon Pubs from the east to the west, and act as excellent propoganda to keep the lower Imps motivated. Psychology of an Ireck "I told you, it doesn't have feelings. Quit being so paranoid." "I dunno... It's been staring at me for the longest time......." '' '' ''-Kish'cra and Julius, Demon/Human Adventurers after recently acquiring an Ireck for personal use'' Through out most of Demon society, Irecks are thought of as simple beasts of burden or even constructs. As cold, emotionless husks for other Demons to express their wanton craving for annihilation through. At first glance this is completely true, Irecks seemingly never react to standard Demonic abuse, ignore comments thrown at them, and simply do as they are told by whoever is regarded as their "Master" without a fuss (A trait incredibly rare amongst Demons). However, Imps and a smaller ratio of Demons know this to not be true. Irecks do possess emotions, even minds of their own (Albeit incredibly small ones), and can express them. It is simply that they possess an uncommon habit amongst Demons. Patience. That is not to say that they are tactical geniuses, there bloodlust and berzerker tendencies on the battlefield are clear enough. But when they are insulted, abused, or mistreated by their masters they hold their blades. An Ireck never forgets, Imps usually say, and this is scoffed at by other Demons as mere fairy tales and rumors (Ironic, given the Demons tendency to exagerate). The Irecks store up any mistreatment, focusing their endless rage onto the battlefield instead, and slowly let it stockpile until it reaches a breaking point. It may be years, decades, or even longer. But when an Ireck is slighted, it will use all of it's higher thinking to focus on that persons every detail and singe it into their minds. Sometimes their outbreaks are major, catastrophic rampages through hallways, lifting and tossing anything that gets in their way, and ripping out the heart of their aggressor (These are often referred to as "Malfunctions" or Kalamars way of spicing up life by hijacking an Ireck). Other times they are minor, letting an assassin through a door to do the job for them, or perhaps not ducking quite ''low enough to completely avoid that giant boulder as his rider is on his back. As of such, Imps tend to treat their Irecks as well as a Man would treat his favored horse, and will meticulously ensure the Ireck is battle ready and preened. For when you are on the battlefield, anything can happen. Irecks and the Divine ''"They don't worship your gods, they worship me." ''-Pasu, Demonic Warlord'' Irecks do not conduct worship or organized religion like the rest of their kin, as any higher mental functions they possess is solely dedicated revenge or wanton carnage. They do respect Kalamar, both for creating him and wielding a great amount of power, and share an innate bond with him in that he can mentally direct their efforts to where he wishes them to go. The closest thing to worship they have is the reverence they treat their masters (Atleast the ones who respect them) like a dog treats his. Irecks and other Templates "A burden to bear, an Ireck in need." ''-Anonymous'' Irecks share a special bond with their Impish brethren, as outlined above, and are often times seen accompanied by an Imp or two.